Best Friends Are Forever
by CUtopia
Summary: SVU Next Gen - A collection of drabbles about Jesse Rollins and Noah Porter Benson.
1. Sunday Sun

Prompt by barsonaddict: "Sharing is caring. Now give me your fries."

I felt like it's time for Jessoah to get their own drabble collection. This will be friendship and romance, depending on my mood/inspiration. I hope you'll all like this little dive into SVU Next Gen! :)

* * *

 **Sunday Sun**

It had been quite some time since both Jesse and Noah had a Sunday off together, and to them, it had been some dreadful weeks. Since they could think, Sundays were days committed to spending time together, in whatever form that may be. When they were kids, they'd been to the playground, to the zoo, or, on the rainy days, had built blanket forts and made up games as the afternoon dragged on, making the best of every single minute. As they grew into teenagers, they'd spent the whole day watching movies or their favourite tv-series, in summer they'd grabbed their bikes to drive around to explore the city, or just lounged on the roof of the brick house Amanda and Jesse were living in.

Jesse and Noah found it hard to adjust to being apart for increased time periods more often as they reached adulthood, first Noah going off to college, Jesse doing the same just as he'd graduated and applied for the NYPD academy. Whenever they could manage, even if it meant Noah had to drive to Jesse's college in Boston just for a lunch with her, they would meet up on Sundays.

With Jesse choosing the path of an NYPD career as well, it got even harder to arrange their meetings, and the little Sunday traditions were threatened by the fact that they had to take the time off together they could get.

Thus, it felt like a small victory to Jesse when Noah and her settled on the hollywood swing on the roof of the house in which Noah had a small apartment, looking forward to spending the whole Sunday together. It was also the first really warm day of the year, and content smiles were on their faces as they prepared the food they got from their favourite diner a few blocks away. With her best friend by her side, the exhausting week of night shifts that lay behind her seemed like a distant memory, and she relaxed instantly.

"I'm not saying that I'm ready to wait this long for another opportunity to do this… but it was totally worth the wait," she said with a soft sigh, holding her face into the sun while Noah opened the packages containing their burgers and placing their milkshakes – vanilla for her, chocolate for him – in front of them.

"Yeah, definitely. I missed you. And this, too, of course."

They exchanged affectionate smiles, and it seemed as though so much more was communicated between them just from the eye contact. Then, Jesse's smile morphed into an innocent expression and she reached out to grab Noah's cup and take a big sip of his milkshake.

"Hey! That's mine!" Noah protested immediately, trying to grab the cup, and Jesse giggled as she leaned away from him, taking another big sip.

"Sharing is caring, Benson. Now give me your fries."

Looking slightly exasperated, Noah hurried to grab the bag with his fries to protect them, shaking his head. "You said you don't want fries."

She cocked her head, a relaxed laugh escaping her – she just loved the light banter and teasing they sometimes got into. "You've known me for twenty-one years now, Noah. I know you got the extra large portion because I'll always feel the temptation of fries when I smell them."

Rolling his eyes, he pushed the bag towards her; after a moment of playful glaring, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders for a short hug. "Some things will never change, Jess. And that's a good thing. Sundays are for us."

His warmth and scent were equal to the feeling of coming home for Jesse, and she smiled as she leaned into his touch while snatching a frie from the bag. "Promised?"

A lopsided grin came onto his handsome face, and Noah nodded. "Pinky swear."


	2. No Boundaries

Written for barsonaddict, who gave me a prompt ages ago XD

I hope you all enjoy this :)

* * *

 **No Boundaries**

"Noah?"

"Hm?"

Noah Benson didn't even look up from the stack of papers he was reading, several text markers at the ready next to him. The sudden and unannounced appearance of his best friend in his small apartment wasn't a surprising or unusual occurrence for him at all – Jesse could come and go how she wanted, using the keys he'd given her once so she could take care of his plants and hadn't bothered to ask back.

"You remember when we talked about colleges?"

"Sure."

"And how I didn't know yet which one of the colleges that accepted me I should choose, because I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave New York?"

Noah nodded with an affirmative hum, turning the page while he could see Jesse coming closer from the corner of his eye, leaning onto the edge of his desk.  
"Well, I made a decision."

"Oh, really?" he asked and glanced up, turning his chair towards her – she'd had quite a difficult time, and he was curious which college she'd chosen. And well, he wanted to know how far he would have to drive every weekend to see his best friend for their spaghetti nights. He'd tried hard to tell himself to be happy for her regardless of where she would go, but the thought of her going upstate, or even leave the state completely made him sad. They'd never been apart for long periods of time during their whole life, and he couldn't imagine her not suddenly sitting on his couch eating his cereals when he came home.

So while he tried to act interested but casual, there was quite some anxiety brewing inside him.

"Yeah. I'll choose NYU."

Jesse was smiling, and some relief seemed to flash over her face when a smile broke out on Noah's face as well and he rose to his feet to hug her tightly – in that moment, it felt as if a huge weight was lifted off his chest. "Wow, that's great, Jess. I'm sure it is the right decision. And we don't have to cancel our spaghetti night."

"And neither baseball Sunday nor movie marathons," Jesse added seriously, happy at the thought that no matter how stressful studying would become, she would still have him to let off steam. But there was one more thing that she needed to tell him, and it was making her more nervous than anything else. "Well, uhm, I'm trying to find a place I can share with other students."

"Sounds good, and better than a shared room in the dorms," Noah nodded supportively and smiled, remembering just how exciting this time had been for him, but when she stared at him hopefully and slightly pleadingly, he froze. "Oh no."

"Noah, pleeease! You're my best friend!"

"Even our friendship has boundaries, Jesse! This almost broke us before!"

"But I did it for you too! You can't say no to me now! It wasn't easy for me back then, too, but I did it anyway!" she argued, determination gleaming in her blue eyes. "Don't be a hypocrite now, Benson!"

Noah frowned unwillingly, but he knew that he didn't have a choice. "You remember what I swore to myself? I'm not buying Ikea furniture again!"

"How good for me that you were only talking about yourself," Jesse shot back with a smirk, patting his shoulder. "I'm looking forward to shopping and building my furniture with you, No."

Pursing his lips, he leaned into her touch subconsciously, and grumbled: "Will there be pizza?"

Jesse looked almost hurt and definitely exasperated at this question. "Excuse me? What kind of question is this? Who am I, hm?! Of course there will be pizza, stupid! I have to serve something so you won't bring your weird veggie stuff to try and poison me again."

"I was just trying to make you eat remotely healthy for once!"

"Pizza is important for my mental health, Noah, you know that," Jesse answered and rolled her eyes while swatting his shoulder, and immediately Noah's arm shot up to poke her side, where he knew her to be extra ticklish.

"Hey!"

"You'll live off pizza and pasta once you've moved out if I don't bring you healthy stuff from time to time," he exclaimed with a chuckle while they started struggling playfully, Noah trying to tickle her, and Jesse trying to defend herself. "Veggies won't kill you! And I'll only build your Ikea furniture if you eat them!"

"That's not fair! Aaah, Benson, stop it!"

"You implied our friendship has no boundaries," Noah said with a smirk, jumping from his chair. "And I want to make sure we can still do this -" "Aaah!" "- when we're old and wrinkly!"

"You got a little error in that thought," Jesse gasped, wriggling around when he wrapped one arm around her to keep her from fleeing. "When we're old I got a cane to defend myself! Against your tickles _and_ the damn veggies!"


	3. Above The Roofs Of Paris

A Jessoah fic written by barsonaddict and me :)

We hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

 **Above The Roofs Of Paris**

The lights of the Eiffel Tower glitter against the night sky, illuminating the city underneath and creating a most special, serene atmosphere with the music that plays on the rooftop where Jesse Rollins is leaning against the balustrade, gazing out over the metropole. She blends in perfectly with the other guests of the restaurant, wearing a fancy black dress that she bought just days ago while following the shopping tips of her aunt Rita, and looking so relaxed from her vacation that Noah Benson's step falters.

He was so sure of his plan until now, as he is about to approach her – what the hell was he thinking? She went on this vacation to get away from everything and everyone in New York; she told him that herself, and now he's about to reveal that he followed her across the Atlantic.

His heart is racing and he clutches the flowers and the neatly wrapped present tighter – she looks so beautiful in the light of the Eiffel Tower. And in a moment she'll be angry and disappointed with him for not respecting her wishes, even if it's her birthday. She's probably expecting some admirer, not him.

But also he can't turn back now and make her think she is being stood up on her birthday, and so he takes a deep breath and approaches her.

OoO

Jesse feels like she's in a dream. The sight of the Eiffel Tower lit up never fails to enchant her, but there's something special about being on a rooftop dressed up, waiting for someone. It's a mystery who set this up, sent the envelope with the card inviting her here, but she thinks that it's her father; he's always made a big deal about her birthday and was upset with her when she booked this vacation.

She rubs her hands over her arms absently; there's a breeze being so high up that she didn't expect. Then she hears footsteps and smiling to herself decides not to turn – she'll let her dad have his fun surprising her.  
"Hi Jess."  
That's not her dad – Noah?! She turns around, shock filling her face when she sees her best friend. "No? What are you doing here?!"

He looks incredibly handsome in his finest suit, and he's holding her favourite flowers and a big present. Nervosity is flashing over his face at her reaction. "I... uhm... Happy Birthday, Jess."  
He shifts from one foot onto the other, not sure what to do – her reaction is making him doubt even more if this was a good idea.

But then, she suddenly launches herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close; she didn't realize how much she missed him until he was standing right in front of her. She blinks back tears and tries to hide her sniffles – this is a good surprise. "I can't believe you did this," she whispers in shock.

Noah smiles happily and holds her close, running a hand up and down her back – he's so incredibly relieved that her reaction was positive. "Happy Birthday, Jess. You look phenomenal."

"Thank you, so do you," she whispers, then pulls back slightly to look up at him. "I love seeing you dressed up. When was the last time, prom?"

Noah fiddles with his bow tie a little, one arm still loosely wrapped around her waist. "Well, to be exact it was for Abuela's birthday, but it was only semi dressed up, I guess. Shall... shall we go to our table? I reserved the best they have."

Feeling like she's floating with happiness, Jesse nods, stepping back and taking the flowers from him so she can hold his hand. Just before they enter the restaurant, she stops and leans up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you Noah, this is the best present you could ever give me."

He feels his cheeks start to glow and he gently squeezes her hand. "I'm glad you like it. I've been worried you wouldn't want to see me."  
Before Jesse can answer, Noah has to talk with the hostess asking for their table – he's so glad that he refreshed his French before the flight so the conversation isn't as embarrassing as it could have been – and when they get there, he pulls the chair out for Jesse.

Jesse bites her lip and sits down, waiting until the hostess leaves before replying. "Why wouldn't I want to see you, No? You're me best friend."

Noah gulps and looks at her honestly. "Because you said you wanted to get away from New York, from everything. And I thought that meant distance from everything at home, including... including me."

Jesse feels a pit in her stomach; she never wanted him to think that. "I'm sorry, No. I didn't mean you. You're the only one who hasn't made me feel like I'm the world's biggest disappointment."

"You're not a disappointment, Jess," Noah says while reaching over the table and gently takes her hand. "You failed a few exams, so what? You can always retake them. College is damn stressful, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

She smiles weakly, holding his hand tighter. "Tell that to my parents and their expectations that I'll be the best detective in the NYPD. I don't even know if that's what I want to do anymore. That's why I came here... I was hoping to get some perspective on what I really want, not just follow what I think I should be doing."

He nods and runs his thumb over the back of her hand. "I understand that. Back when I had to choose, I felt that same pressure. Just... uhm... not that harshly, I guess. But dad was hoping I would go to Harvard... mum thought about NYPD. Rita and Fia kept reminding me that I always wanted to be a mermaid scientist."

Jesse gasps. "I totally forgot about that! You were so adorable with your magnifying glass on the beach."

Her smile softens at the memory, her blue eyes full of nostalgia. "Remember when we were like ten and we would spend almost the entire summer at Rita's place in the Hamptons? All our parents would take turns having vacation time to watch us? Those were amazing summers. I miss being up there."

"We should go there for a week when we have time. Those were the best weeks of the whole year," he suggests while the waitress approaches, asking them if they have chosen already, and a hurried browsing through the small but exquisite menu follows. Once she's gone with their order, Noah gestures at the present, then holds it out for her. "Don't you want to unwrap it?"

Jesse smiles and shakes her head while reaching out for the beautifully wrapped gift. "This isn't really necessary, not with dinner and the flowers... you coming to Paris is enough for me," she says softly.

"Not that I'm complaining. I really want to know what it is," she adds, her eyes sparkling.

His expression softens impossibly more and he smiles enigmatically. "I hope you'll like it. I had to make quite a few miles to get it all."

Jesse bites her lip as she unties the bow, glancing up at Noah and seeing how excited he looks.  
She opens the box and gasps lightly – tears springing to her eyes again. Damn this man for being so sweet. He's going to ruin her makeup.

Noah chuckles lightly as Jesse says: "Why do you do this to me? That's just what I needed. Did you seriously drive to the Hamptons just to get that damn marmalade?"  
She sniffles and tries to hold her tears back, dabbing at the corners of her eyes with her fingers.

Noah blushes and shrugs. "I know it's your favourite, and well. I wanted to remind you the good things about New York."

Jesse looks through the other things in the box – the expensive peanut butter she loves to put in her banana bowl for breakfast... "Is that my dad's pasta sauce?"  
"Yes," Noah says with a blush – he begged Sonny to cook it for him without any dignity. Before he knows it, Jesse has gotten up, rounded the table and cupped his cheeks.  
She gently places a kiss on his forehead and whispers: "Thank you so much, No."

Noah feels his heart swell with happiness; she really likes the presents. He raises his arms up to stroke her sides gently. "You're welcome, Jess. Of course the other part of your present is one best friend for the next five days."

"That's the part of the present that I like the most," she confesses sincerely, and they just look at each other for a very long moment. Noah swallows hard, wishing she loved him; this would be the perfect time to kiss her.

Jesse's gaze jumps down to his lips, but she immediately chastises herself – he's her best friend, and he'll never see more in her than that.  
She pushes aside the disappointment that threatens to settle in her stomach – she loves the friendship they have and would never do anything to jeopardize it. Kissing Noah would be a huge mistake, so she steps back from him, returning to her seat.

Noah feels his stomach sink a little when Jesse sits down again, but then he forces himself to ignore it. This is her birthday, and he's supposed to make this a happy day for her. It's the wrong time for selfishness, and so he puts on a smile again, curiously asking what she's been up to so far.

It takes a few minutes, then the tension that built earlier slowly starts to fade and they both feel comfortable again, able to push the unsaid things into the background.


	4. Meant To Be

I know, this doesn't fit the season at all, especially since I'm sitting outside in the sun while writing this, but the Love Actually soundtrack is on and well, here we go XD

Bear with me, please.

* * *

 **Meant To Be**

Snowflakes drifted down from the heaven slowly, covering Manhattan in a soft blanket of snow. Central Park was a little winter wonderland, inviting many people to take a walk if they had the time, and some even braved the cold, seated on the benches to watch the calmness of the winter.

Jesse held on tighter to her cup of cinnamon hot chocolate, nervously chewing on her bottom lip as she shot a glance to Noah, who was sitting next to her, staring straight ahead. They'd been sitting in silence for a little eternity, even though they'd originally met here to talk, to rescue their friendship.

A few days ago, just a few words, slipping from Jesse's mouth in an unguarded moment, pushed out from their hiding place by Noah's damn sweetness, had brought their lifelong bond to a potential breaking point.

 _"That's why you're the only guy I'd ever marry, Benson, I could never love anyone the way I love you."_

Suddenly it had stood in the room like an elephant, unable to be hidden anymore, even though they'd both been quite determined not to talk about it at first. They'd tried to go on like nothing had happened, but every attempt of normal interaction had been just awkward and unnatural.

That was how they'd ended up here in Central Park, on neutral territory, so to speak, a place where they could talk and either could leave if they wanted to.

But so far, neither of them had said a word, except for the quiet greetings they'd exchanged.

Taking a sip of her hot beverage, Jesse decided it was time to put the cards on the table. Maybe the truth would take her best friend away from her, but she knew that they couldn't go on like this, either.

"Noah," she whispered after taking a deep breath, gathering all her courage. He tensed slightly, the sign that he'd heard her addressing him, and he turned his head towards her slightly. "What… what I said. It wasn't a joke. I love you, Noah, and… and I think you've known that for some time, too. We just tried to ignore it because…"

"Because I thought I would lose you when I told you that I love you," Noah interrupted her just as quietly, and Jesse's heart jumped in excitement. "Because I thought you saw us like siblings. You never seemed to have any difficulties being affectionate with me but never were like that with other male friends…"

"Because I feel comfortable with you, more than with anybody else."

Jesse smiled tentatively during her explanation, and their gloved fingers brushed against each other, tangling hesitantly when their gazes met.

Relief flooded her in this moment, mingling with excitement when they started to lean towards each other, pulled together like two magnets.

Just a second later, their lips met in a soft kiss, and all the worries from earlier were gone as they held each other close, kissing as the snow continued to fall down on them.

Because they didn't need more words to explain what they felt for each other.

Because they'd known about their feelings all along.

Because this had been meant to happen right from the beginning.


	5. Comfort

I seem to be on a cuddling vibe lately. Or on a bed vibe, whatever. More to come.

I hope you all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Comfort**

Jesse groaned when a consistent knocking against the door of her one room apartment ripped her from her sleep. A glance at her phone, eyes blinking rapidly against the harsh light in the darkness, told her that it was 4 a. fucking m. and that she'd returned from partying only an hour ago.

She just wanted to sleep… but the knocking continued.

"What the actual fuck," she whined as she freed herself from her blanket and almost tumbled out of bed before stumbling towards the door, her movements shaky due to sleepiness and alcohol. Jesse was damn ready to give whoever that was the ass-kicking of their life when she unlocked the door and ripped it open.

"Noah."

The sight of her best friend sobered her up immediately and made the anger deflate. Even without the sad expression of poor defeat and grief on his face she would have known already that this was serious – Noah knew just how much she loved sleeping, thus he would never disturb her if it wasn't for a very good reason.

"I'm sorry, I know you were out, but… I need someone to hold on to tonight," he said, his voice a barely audible whisper, and Jesse didn't hesitate for a second before taking his hand and pulling him into her apartment, locking the door behind them again.

Noah looked so lost as he stood there in the moonlight, still wearing his NYPD uniform from the shift he'd just ended, and Jesse's heart ached a little. She desperately wanted to know what had upset him like this, why he was on the verge of tears, but she knew better than to push him. He would tell her when he thought he was able to put it into words.

"Come on, No. I'll get your sweatpants," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist briefly for a quick hug to bring him back into reality, and he nodded, taking a very deep breath. They were quiet as they got the comfy clothes that had somehow ended up at her place and Noah changed quickly, obviously trying to reign in whatever emotion he was currently fighting with.

When they slipped into bed, Jesse wrapped her arms around him and spooned him, though she felt more like a backpack due to their height differences. Noah didn't seem to mind, though, his body relaxing at the close contact and at her warmth. He laced their fingers together and cuddled into her impossibly more as he mumbled: "Thank you, Jess."

"That's what best friends are there for," she answered into the skin of his neck, her thumbs drawing soothing circles on his hands.

They lay there for a long time, but neither of them fell asleep. Noah because he knew that he couldn't, and Jesse because she knew that she wouldn't as long Noah couldn't. Their breathing synced up, calming Noah more, and he ultimately said: "Had to work my first traffic accident tonight. Some firsts seriously suck."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"After you had some sleep. You shouldn't stay up just because of me. Please sleep."

"Only if you promise that you'll try, too. I'll be there when the nightmares come."

A thought rushed through Noah's mind, and a dry laugh left him. "I wished those nightmares were still about the Disney villains and not about real life."

"We handled those, No. We can handle this, too."

He nodded lightly, trying not to hit her nose. Yes, with Jesse, he felt like he could do anything, and he didn't ever want to have to imagine not having her in his life. "I know."


	6. Waking Up Together

Like I said, bed vibe. Lol.

I hope you all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Waking Up Together**

Jesse frowned when a ray of sunlight tickled her face, waking her from her light, content slumber. The body pressed up against her back, engulfing her in a cocoon of body heat, started moving as well, making an unwilling noise. "Too early."

Noah tightened his arms around Jesse, burying his face in her neck as he tried to go back to sleep. He wanted to enjoy this wonderful moment just a little bit longer, he didn't want time to pass and make their first night spent together a memory. It would be a wonderful memory, for sure, but he wanted it to be reality for as long as possible.

"Morning, No," Jesse whispered softly and giggled when he tickled her side a little, kissing her shoulder.

"Morning, Jess."

She leaned into the tender caress of his lips and tilted her head to give him more access.

"I slept better than ever before," she said quietly into the comfortable silence of Noah's bedroom, lacing their fingers together, and Noah chuckled dryly.

"Good for you, Rollins. I did not. Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

"What? I don't! I'm not buying it."

"But you do," Noah reassured her teasingly. "You kept declaring your love to pizza. Made me kinda jealous."

"I'm not talking in my sleep, Benson."

"I was here, I heard it with my own ears."

He chuckled and glanced at the clock on his nightstand. "Fuck, Jess. We overslept."

Jesse, still trying to figure out if there was any reason why she would talk in her sleep, was completely confused. "Huh?"

"Abuela's birthday breakfast is today! And we wanted to get up early."

"But it is early, silly."

Noah reluctantly let go of Jesse and grabbed the clock to hold it in front of her face, which led to her jumping with a curse. "Damn you and your talented lips, Benson! So distracting."

"Who tired us both out so much last night, huh?" Noah asked with a smirk, pecking a kiss on her shoulder while they gathered clothing from the floor and made their way to the bathroom. "At least that means we have to shower together to save time."


	7. Teasing

This is the continuation of the previous drabble, Waking Up Together :)

I hope you all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Teasing**

Jesse felt like Noah and her were dancing on a very thin line, always a just a tiny mistake away from exposing themselves.

When they'd started dating, they'd agreed to keep the change in their relationship a secret - they just didn't want to deal with all the fuss their immediate and extended family would make in a phase where they were trying to find a way to deal with the feelings they had for each other, reforming their friendship into something more.

But now, after finding their way into their new relationship, maintaining the secrecy for some more time proved to be increasingly difficult.

For a start, they'd almost forgotten to take different cabs to the restaurant Lucia's birthday breakfast would take place in the rush of showering - and not smelling like the other's shampoo - trying to hide hickeys and getting dressed. Once in the restaurant, refraining from touching each other proved to be another difficult task. Noah's bow tie was a little lopsided, and Jesse had to suppress the urge to fix it with a teasing question if he'd been distracted while binding it. Noah just wanted to hold her hand while Lucia, who was blinking back tears, held a speech about how thankful she was for her wonderful family, especially her precious (adopted) grandchildren.

Finally, while everyone watched Lucia open her presents, he could lean over to her, brushing his hand over her knee. "I can't wait to get to bed, I'm super tired."

"How can you be so eager when I won't be there when you're in your bed tonight?" Jesse teased lightly, running her thumb over the back of his hand, and Noah chuckled, glancing around briefly to make sure that no one was paying too close attention to them.

"My bed still smells like you, Rollins. If I pretend hard enough maybe it'll be as if you're lying next to me."

Jesse shot him a mock hurt look and made a distressed noise. "Fine. You obviously don't need me, Benson. Have fun snogging your pillow."

"Jealous?"

"In your dreams."

They exchanged smirks while Lucia started to tear through the heap of presents awaiting her, and as everyone gathered around her for that, they felt even more unwatched. Noah leaned in and whispered into her ear in a raspy voice: "In my dreams, we do quite a lot interesting things."

"You'll have to tell me about them before my nightshift," Jesse replied innocently, a mischievous gleam in her blue eyes betraying her tone; a pleasant shiver rushed down Noah's spine and a part of him wished that the party were over already so they could leave.


	8. Together

It rained heavily. I was inspired. Yeah. Lol.

I hope you all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Together**

"That was the worst movie we ever saw," Jesse grumbled as Noah and her left the cinema late in the afternoon, their fingers entwined. "And the tickets and snacks seem to get more expensive constantly. What a waste."

"You'll never change your negative attitude towards cinemas, huh?"

Jesse shook her head while Noah sighed heavily, briefly gazing up at the dark clouds hanging over the city. "No, I won't. My arguments are constantly being reinforced."

"Next time we'll just watch Netflix," he said softly, not feeling like the movie and the tacos had been a waste - spending time with her between their busy schedules of police academy and night shifts on patrol was everything to him. "And I'll cook something nice."

"That would pacify me."

Jesse gave him a smile that still made his heart jump, and he gently pulled her to the side, out of the way of the people continuing down the pavement while they stopped. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer. "Every hour we have for each other is precious to me, Jess."

"I know," she replied and raised onto the tips of her toes to kiss him. "I just feel like we shouldn't spend it in the cinema anymore. At home I at least can snog you whenever I want."

"Snogging in the last row, wasn't that a thing once?"

"When our parents were young, maybe. I know you're into retro stuff, but I like watching movies at home with you better."

They laughed together and their banter continued for a while; people passed by busily, but they stood still. Jesse and Noah were in no rush, neither of them had a night shift, so they could enjoy the luxury of slowing down together. For once, they could forget about all the the stuff that was happening in their lives and just be together.

"How about dinner? I'll buy," Noah suggested softly after some time, pushing a few strands of Jesse's hair behind her ear tenderly; he wasn't ready to go home yet. Both of them had forgotten about the dark clouds over the city, and so they were unaware of how they'd gotten darker since the two of them had left the cinema.

"Burgers and milkshakes? And please don't say 'whatever you want' because it's not irrelevant what you want, Benson."

"But I want burgers and milkshakes too," he said with a chuckle and Jesse rolled her eyes at the slightly teasing undertone; a moment later, a big raindrop landed on her nose and she frowned adorably, making him lean down and kiss the wet skin. "Looks like we gotta hurry to get to Joey's."

They both glanced up at the dark sky while more big drops were hitting the pavement and street here and there, and then Noah slipped his hand into hers as she nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Also I'm starving."

"An even bigger reason to hurry."

Grins were exchanged and they started walking, but just a few steps later a rushing sound filled the air and after a few seconds, the big raindrops turned into an extreme downpour. Jesse squealed as the water ran into her tshirt immediately and Noah laughed, gently pulling her into a run, their feet splashing up the water that formed puddles extremely quickly. Their favourite diner, Joey's, was only a few blocks away from the cinema, but by the time they were through the front door, their clothes were clinging to their bodies and water was dripping from their hair.

But this unexpected summer rain didn't dampen the mood at all; in fact, Jesse was still laughing while Noah pressed a hand into his side with a grin, trying to catch his breath.

"You've trained, Rollins."

"Yeah, NYPD academy training. Don't act so surprised," she teased, kissing his cheek. "I've always wanted to be able to outrun you, you know that."

"It's the only reason why you joined the force," Noah joked breathlessly, letting his gaze wander around in the search for a free table.

"You know me so well. Damn, I'm so glad I didn't put on a white tshirt today."

A look of mock regret flashed over Noah's face and he winked while Jesse slapped his arm. "Order for me while I try to make myself look presentable, Benson. And stop being so cocky, or I'll wake you when I get up for class tomorrow."

She flashed him a daring grin before walking off towards the restrooms, and Noah almost bumped into a waitress when he gazed after her while trying to go to the table he'd spotted a moment earlier.

Once again, their time together was just perfect, and he never wanted it to end.


	9. Uplifting

Summer is concert time, so I decided to combine that with Jesse and Noah.

I hope you all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Uplifting**

"I love summers in New York," Jesse said with excitement swinging in her voice as Noah and her moved in the stream of people walking towards Central Park and the concert area there. She had a spring in her step, bubbling with anticipation, and Noah couldn't help but tease her for it again and again. He found her adorable, and she hated to hear that, always answering with an equally teasing comeback.

After passing the ticket controls, Jesse grabbed Noah's arm so they wouldn't lose each other, but also because she wanted to decide where they would stand - with her limited height, the right place for good sight was hard to find.

A frown came onto her face when she saw that the space in front of the stage was already too filled to find what she required, and she turned to Noah, her face falling. "We should have left yours earlier."

Noah wrapped his arm around her shoulder and maneuvered her to the side of the area, near the drink and food stalls where less people were. "It's not that dramatic, Jess, right? I mean, this is about the music."

"Says the giant who isn't going to see heads and backs for the whole evening," Jesse grumbled and Noah sighed, knowing that she wasn't even exaggerating. "Let's get drinks, or I won't be able to get through this."

While Jesse seemed to resign and accept her fate over a plastic cup of vodka with orange juice, Noah kept pondering; he hated to see Jesse so unhappy on an evening she'd been looking forward to for so long. She tried to act like everything was fine, but he knew her too well to buy that.

Shortly before the first support band started to play, Noah had an idea, and while wondering why he hadn't come up with it earlier, he turned to his best friend. Upon seeing his big grin, she raised an eyebrow and leaned away from him in mock skepticism. "What, Benson?"

"I know how you'll be able to see something."

"So?"

Noah's grin only widened and he patted his own shoulder. "Sit on my shoulders."

"What?" Jesse's eyes widened and she shook her head. "I'm going to hurt you. I'm way too heavy."

"Come on, Rollins. Your pizza consumption may be questionably high, but you're definitely not heavy," Noah shot back and bent his knees. "Also I'm training daily, remember."

"You're such a show-off. Police academy meddled with your head."

Nonetheless Jesse laid her hands onto his shoulders when he'd crouched enough, and after gathering her courage, she started to maneuver herself up his back and onto his shoulders, squeaking under her breath when they wobbled a bit and Noah had to grab her arms to keep her from falling. "You sitting alright?"

"Y-yeah, I guess."

Noah slowly straightened himself, gently holding on to Jesse's thighs, and she laughed, running her hands through his brown curls teasingly. "Wow, now I know how you feel every day. So much to see."

He closed his eyes for a moment, chuckling, and satisfaction about having made her happy flooded him. The sore muscles would be absolutely worth it.


	10. Paradise

I was making Jessoah aesthetics and it inspired this little, mostly pointless scene XD

I hope you enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Paradise**

"This is paradise," Jesse whispered with a content sigh and cuddled into Noah's side, her feet dangling in the crystal clear water and splashing in the soft waves. The sun, a big, glowing ball on the horizon, was slowly sinking into the ocean, dipping the evening into a warm light.

"It is."

Noah wrapped his arms around Jesse and smiled, pressing a kiss onto her blonde hair, still damp from swimming. He'd been nervous about this vacation, the first one the two of them took without their families, but now he could barely remember that feeling. Everything was just perfect now; every hour spent on this tropical island with Jesse was pure bliss.

"I wished we wouldn't have to fly home next week."

"Maybe they need new people for the island police," Noah joked lightly and Jesse chuckled, looking up at him with her blue eyes sparkling in amusement.

"I would accept immediately. We could have a beach house and a bunch of puppies."

They exchanged warm smiles and Noah leaned down to kiss her. "Exactly what I was thinking about."

Noah kissed her again, long and sweetly, instead of saying that to him, paradise was wherever she was.


	11. Regret

I've not had much time for writing lately and Jessoah had to pause, but I hope that'll change slowly now :)

I hope you all enjoy this drabble!

* * *

 **Regret**

Noah couldn't say that he'd ever regretted anything regarding his best friend before, but tonight, he actually started to feel regret. If he'd been able to hide his feelings for Jesse better, his mother wouldn't have nagged him about them when they'd met for breakfast this morning, and then he wouldn't have such a hard time tonight. He was trying to teach Jesse how to cook a relatively healthy meal - she just didn't want to believe that you could make dishes without pasta - and he was having trouble concentrating.

It was as if his mother's words, making him aware of how damaging it could be to suppress his feelings, had made his senses hypersensitive to everything regarding Jesse. And so, instead of watching that she was reading the recipe, he was wondering why she was wearing one of his old tshirts, why her hair smelled so nice, why her eyes were gleaming so wonderfully when she teased him, why he could feel her body heat so much more than usual when she leaned over, and why his heart just didn't seem to stop jumping.

He'd always been able to ignore these feelings and questions, believing that he couldn't burden their friendship with them, but now they were back, stronger than ever, making it impossible to deny the truth.

Noah was in love with his best friend.

And Jesse couldn't ever know, because he didn't want to risk losing her. But now his head wouldn't stay silent anymore, either.

The fateful three words were constantly burning on his tongue, and he needed to swallow them down every time before he could explain something to Jesse, and he still worried that he could slip.

He was convinced that she didn't feel the same. They were like siblings. His feelings had no place there.

"Hey, No. Are you alright?" Jesse asked softly, touching his arm, and the prickling sensation ripped him from his thoughts. Hell, she was so beautiful, and that was all he could think of when their eyes met.

"Yeah, I just… I'm okay. Where were we?"

"You were brooding, No. Do you need a hug?"

Noah tried to smile in a way that would satisfy her, not wanting to have to lie to her even more. She was such a wonderful person, she didn't deserve this. "No, I don't need a hug."

"Oh Benson, you do. Come here."

Before he could do anything, she'd wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him close and resting her cheek against his chest. "You're hiding something, No. If you feel ready to talk, you know you can always come to me, right?"

He closed his eyes and released a breath, the thoughts in his head slowing down as he got calmer. "I know."

Maybe he would have the courage to tell her how he felt one day. He just hoped that he wouldn't regret it, that he wouldn't destroy what they had.


	12. Interrupted

I think this is the first Jessoah sexy time here. Time to have a balance to the fluff, lol.

I hope you all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Interrupted**

The apartment door fell shut with a loud bang as Jesse and Noah fell against it, their bodies pressed together so tightly that not even a sheet of paper would fit between them, their lips meeting in hungry, passionate kisses.

There'd been this tension between them for weeks now, building up with every date they'd went on, with every hour spent cuddling and kissing, slowly exploring the feelings that were lying beyond their friendship, and now it was breaking free. The need to touch each other, to explore, had gotten too strong, and they were glad that they'd made it to Noah's apartment.

Jesse pushed the jacket off Noah's shoulders and immediately grabbed the hem of his tshirt, smirking when he eagerly helped her to pull it up and over his head.

Anticipation was building inside both of them, and they were both quite impatient as they started to undress each other, touching all the skin that was being exposed.

They were still pressed against the door, kissing frantically, when Jesse unbuckled Noah's belt, her movement faltering when Noah's fingers dipped into her underwear slowly. His groan mingled with her moan, and Jesse let her head fall back against the door, her eyes closing. An expression of pure bliss spread on her face when his fingers started moving, touching, searching for the right places, and Noah could barely stop looking at her, kissing her lips or temple from time to time. Jesse's hands were lazily skimming over his jeans while she wrapped one leg around him to give him easier access, her moans getting louder as the feelings intensified…

"DIOS MIO!"

The two of them almost fell over when they opened their eyes abruptly at the hysteric scream and whipped towards the direction the exclamation had come from, bodies still entwined.

Lucia Barba was standing in the doorway to Noah's living room, holding a duster in her hand, and stared at her grandchildren in utter shock.

All three of them were frozen for a moment, unable to process the situation; Jesse was the first to break free from the stupor, cursing under her breath and wriggling out from between Noah and the door while slipping on Noah's tshirt to cover herself. "Abuela, what are you doing here?"

"Wh-what I'm doing here? Making sure that my mijo comes home to a clean apartment… why aren't you at the cinema like you said? It's the middle of the day, and… in the hallway! How inappropriate…"

Lucia's cheeks were pink with embarrassment while Noah hurried to zip his jeans. "Abuela, I'm perfectly capable of cleaning my apartment myself. And it's not inappropriate - how were we supposed to know you'd enter my place without my knowledge?"

There was a moment of silence when Lucia opened and closed her mouth, trying to come up with an explanation or excuse, and Noah wrapped one arm around Jesse, both of them feeling sorry that they'd been interrupted.

"I… I'll call next time," Lucia ultimately stuttered and took her jacket, barely able to look Jesse and Noah into the eyes while she moved towards the door, duster still in her other hand. "I apologise… I didn't mean to…"

She hurried to get outside and Noah released a sigh when he closed the door behind her. "Wow… I feel a bit sorry."

"I'm just surprised that this hasn't happened to her way earlier, considering that she's been doing this since I can think," Jesse said, cocking her head to the side. "Maybe that was the kind of shock she needed to make her stop."

"Hopefully."

They stood in the hallway for a long moment, simply holding and looking at each other, then Jesse ran a hand down Noah's chest. "So… where were we? Are you still in the mood?"

"I don't know. How about we order some pizza and make ourselves comfy with a movie?"

Jesse had to admit that she was a little disappointed, but on the other hand, the encounter with Lucia had ruined her mood a little, too. They had time, after all. And maybe the spontaneous feelings would return after the pizza, or during the movie.

And so she smiled up at him and nodded, pulling him down for a tender kiss. "I hope you don't mind when I keep wearing your shirt, Benson."

"Oh, not at all."


	13. Need

It's Jessoah time again :)

I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

 **Need**

Noah took a sip of his hot chocolate with a content smile and placed it back on the coffee table before turning the page of his book. It wasn't often that he had time to relax like this, since he was at work most of the time and weekend shifts robbed him of his most free time. Thus he was determined to enjoy every minute of this, and nothing could get him away from this very interesting book today.

Noah was too focused on the current chapter to notice Jesse entering the room, still in her pyjamas - a pair of Lion King bottoms and one of his NYPD t shirts - and how she quietly came over to the couch. The first thing he noticed of her was the scent of her shampoo and the kiss she pecked on his neck.

"Hey No."

"Good morning," he teased with a smirk, though not looking up from the page he was on right now. "Up already?"

"I've been up since you showered. I just studied in bed because I didn't want to get up. And well, I might have been hoping you would come back to bed."

Another few kisses landed on his neck, then she rounded the couch while Noah answered absently: "I'm reading, and I didn't want to disturb you."

Her fingers trailed over the nape of his neck while he turned the page again, the tension in the book rising. "Oh, Benson, you never disturb me. Especially in bed."

He hummed to signal that he heard her, but didn't answer, since the events in the chapter were gaining speed. A moment later, Jesse slid onto his lap, ripping his attention away from the book, and he made a surprised noise.

"Hey there."

"Jesse, I'm reading."

"I know you are. It's quite obvious, isn't it?" Jesse teased and wrapped her arms around his neck, smirking while pressing closer. "You know what I want now, Benson?"

"Can't we do that later? It's always so exhausting with you, it takes so long."

"But you secretly like it anyway. Come on, No. I need it. You're the only one who can do this so it feels right."

Noah sighed under his breath - he just couldn't say no to her. "You're always so needy about it. As if I'm not doing it often enough."

"Because I just can't get enough," Jesse whispered huskily and carefully took the book from him, slipping the bookmark between the pages before placing the book on the coffee table behind her. "Come on, Benson. I'm ready for you."

Another sigh left Noah before he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and pulled her in for a long, tender kiss, then he turned around, lowering her onto the couch. Some more kisses followed, Jesse running her fingers through his brown curls affectionately, then he blindly groped for the most important thing they would need for this on the side table next to the couch.

"Wrong position, Jess. You need to be on top, or I can't do it right."

Jesse released a whimper and maneuvered herself up, coming to rest on his chest, and Noah nodded in satisfaction, his fingers finally closing around what he'd been looking for.

"Okay, I'm ready."

"I've been for hours, No."

He smirked down at her, not really surprised by her words, then Noah wrapped his arms around her and gently rested the Harry Potter book he'd grabbed on her shoulder. "So, where were we… ah, the first task of the Triwizard Tournament…"

A content smile lit Jesse's face up as she cuddled into him even more while he started to read, stealing some sips from his hot chocolate. There was nothing better in the world than to listen to his calm voice reading her favourite books to her.


	14. You Raise Me Up

Jessoah time :)

I hope you all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **You Raise Me Up**

Noah knew that making fun of Jesse wouldn't end well for him, but in this moment, he just couldn't help himself. Holding on to their shopping cart to support himself, he was laughing so loudly that other customers turned their hands, and Jesse glared at him viciously. "Shut the fuck up, Benson!"

"No arms, no chips," he commented teasingly while Jesse stretched for the highest shelf again but couldn't reach her favourite chips. His ribs were hurting from laughing by now and she looked like she wanted to choke him, but Noah just found the underlying pout absolutely adorable. "Remember how you told me you would grow bigger than me when we were kids?"

"I'm the bigger person, Benson, that means a lot more than physical height. I would be a good friend and help!" Jesse shot back angrily, crossing her arms in front of her chest while Noah approached her.

"Thank you very much, but I do not require assistance to reach the lowest shelf."

Noah winked down at her, his brown eyes warm, and before Jesse could do something, he'd wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet easily. Jesse squealed in surprise, but then she was suddenly eye to eye with her beloved Lays and her anger vanished instantly.

"Now, am I a good friend or not?" Noah teased while Jesse loaded her arms with packages. "I always raise you up."

"You know what girls want, Benson."


End file.
